London is scattered with greenery, from the tiny squares frequented by a few locals to expansive royal estates.
During the first lockdown they became relaxing pastures for Londoners in need of exercise and fresh air, and their beauty was thrown into sharp relief by the horror of the pandemic.
Bushey Park, south of the city, is famed for its deer. Regent’s Park is globally renowned for its rose gardens, and Hampstead Heath has been in more films than the entire cast of Notting Hill.
From Richmond Park in the west, it’s possible to trek all the way over to Greenwich in the east – but not on a work-from-home lunchbreak.
Away from the superstar parks are gems such as Brockwell, near Brixton in the city’s south, and Battersea Park, on the south bank of the River Thames.
Each and every one offers an escape, whether to international visitors in normal times or locals during lockdown.
It wasn’t only in London that green space was so alluring last spring. Such was the siren call of the country’s national parks that some, including Dartmoor and the Lake District, issued warnings asking people to stay away.
With England catapulted back into its third lockdown in under a year, its green and pleasant parks will once more come into their own. The gallery above shows off some of the capital's finest.
